Table of contents
Portugal might not be the biggest EU eCommerce market, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an excellent destination to send parcels. There are a lot of factors that make Portugal an attractive choice for UK retailers looking to enter new international markets. The country is in the same timezone as the UK, English is widely spoken, and there is a familiarity with British culture.
If you’re looking to start selling in Portugal, the Pro Carrier team is here to help. In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about sending a parcel from the UK to Portugal.
Shipping to Portugal Post Brexit
Because of the UK’s departure from the European Union, any goods sent to Portugal from the UK will be subject to VAT and customs paperwork.
If you plan on regularly sending parcels to Portugal, the best way to handle all of the additional charges and paperwork is by signing up to the EU’s Import One Stop Shop (IOSS). It’s easy to register for the service yourself, or you can have an intermediary like Pro Carrier do it for you.
On top of your IOSS number, you’ll also need to make sure you organise other documents and information to avoid delays to your package. Every shipment will require a commercial invoice and export documentation complete with your business information and your Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI).
You will also need to decide how you pay customs duties. You can either send goods Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) or Delivery Duty Unpaid (DUP). In the first instance, you take responsibility for all paperwork and payment of VAT. In the latter, your courier will need to collect fees from the buyer before they deliver your parcel. To avoid upsetting potential customers, we recommend sending goods DDP.
There are certain items that you can’t send to Portugal, as there are with all EU countries. These include:
- Firearms
- Perishable goods
- Plants
- Seeds
- Furs
Speak to a cross-border delivery expert like Pro Carrier if you are in doubt.
How Long Does It Take to Send a Parcel to Portugal?
Sending parcels to Portugal can be fairly quick, even despite the additional paperwork that must be completed. Standard delivery times range between two to five working days, and express delivery can happen in as little as one day.
Your exact delivery time will depend on the parcel you are sending and the delivery service you choose.
What Courier Services Are Available in Portugal?
There are a number of local and foreign carriers you can use to send parcels to Portugal such as:
- Correios, Telégrafos e Telefones (CCT)
- DHL and DHL Express
- FedEx
- USPS and USPS Express
At Pro Carrier we work with the best carrier suitable for the eCommerce methods and needs specific to Portugal.
How to Format a Portuguese Address
You need to use the correct address format when sending parcels from the UK to Portugal. The country adopts a couple of irregular habits that set it apart from a standard European address.
The biggest difference is that a Portuguese postcode has seven digits, rather than four or five, and is separated by a dash. The postcode is followed by a territorial subdivision.
Here’s an example of a typical Portuguese address:
John Doe
R. São Filipe Neri 2
1250–096 Lisboa
PORTUGAL
Portuguese Public Holidays to Note
Portugal has quite a few national public holidays that retailers will need to know about. You can find the list below:
- New Year’s Day
- Good Friday
- Easter
- Freedom Day
- Labour Day
- Corpus Christi
- Portugal Day
- Feast of the Assumption
- Republic Day
- All Saints’ Day
- Restoration of Independence
- Immaculate Conception Day
- Christmas Day
How Can You Track Your Portuguese Parcel Delivery?
If you want to track your parcel delivery from the UK to Portugal, the best option is to choose a service like Pro Carrier.
Our customer portal makes it easy for retailers to manage and monitor all of their orders on the go. The information for every order is available in a single dashboard, and you can see the status of every order at a glance.
Your customers get regular updates, too. We work with our carriers to ensure recipients get updates at regular intervals in Portuguese.
Ship to Portugal with Pro Carrier
Eager to start shipping parcels to Portugal? Pro Carrier is here to help.
We provide a seamless cross-border eCommerce solution that integrates with your current eCommerce platform and enables you to manage orders from a single screen. You get real-time visibility into your logistical operations, can choose your preferred delivery partner and even edit orders after they’ve been sent.
You can find out more about sending parcels to Portugal by speaking to an expert today.
